An ink supply device is provided for supplying ink (10c) to a recording head for discharging the ink in an inkjet printer, that includes: a replaceable ink container (30) being a container for storing the ink (10c) and being replaceable; and a male connector (41) to be inserted into the replaceable ink container (30) to take out the ink (10c) from the replaceable ink container (30), wherein the replaceable ink container (30) includes an opening plug (31) that plugs an insertion opening (30a) where the male connector (41) is to be inserted, and the opening plug (31) includes a reed valve (32) that is pressed by the male connector (41) and opened when the male connector (41) is inserted into the insertion opening (30a), and that is closed by making contact with the male connector (41) when the male connector (41) is pulled out from the insertion opening (30a).
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1. An ink supply device for supplying an ink to a recording head for discharging the ink in an inkjet printer, the ink supply device comprising:
a replaceable ink container being a container for storing the ink and being replaceable; and
a male connector to be inserted into the replaceable ink container to take out the ink from the replaceable ink container,
wherein the replaceable ink container has an insertion opening where the male connector is to be inserted formed therein,
the replaceable ink container includes an opening plug that plugs the insertion opening, and
the opening plug includes a reed valve that is pressed by the male connector and opened when the male connector is inserted into the insertion opening, and that is closed by making contact with the male connector when the male connector is pulled out from the insertion opening,
the reed valve includes a valve body which is in film shape,
the valve body extends toward a direction which the male connector is inserted into the insertion opening, and
an end portion of the valve body is fixed at a position inside the replaceable ink container and near the insertion opening.
2. The ink supply device according to
the reed valve is a valve that is closed by receiving pressure of the ink when the male connector is pulled out from the insertion opening.
3. The ink supply device according to
the reed valve is a valve to which closing force is applied by rigidity of a valve body itself when the male connector is pulled out from the insertion opening.
4. The ink supply device according to
the opening plug further includes: a valve biasing unit that biases the reed valve in a direction along which the reed valve closes.
5. The ink supply device according to
the replaceable ink container includes:
an ink bag of which capacity is capable of being changed according to an amount of the stored ink, and
a bag biasing unit that biases the ink bag in a direction along which the capacity of the ink bag is decreased.
6. The ink supply device according to
a pump that controls pressure of the ink, so that the pressure of the ink becomes higher on an inside than on an outside of the replaceable ink container with respect to the insertion opening.
7. The ink supply device according to
a shape of the male connector in the cross section vertically intersecting a direction of insertion into the insertion opening is an elongated shape.
8. The ink supply device according to
the male connector and the reed valve are fitted with each other to a degree by which the ink does not leak out from between the male connector and the reed valve, when the male connector has been inserted into the insertion opening.
9. The ink supply device according to
the opening plug includes an O-ring for preventing the ink from passing through, and
the O-ring is arranged at a position that prevents the ink from passing through between the male connector and the O-ring, when the male connector that has been inserted into the insertion opening is keeping the reed valve opened.
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This application is a 371 application of an international PCT application serial no. PCT/JP2013/080853, filed on Nov. 15, 2013, which claims the priority benefit of Japan application no. JP 2012-252778, filed on Nov. 17, 2012. The entirety of each of the above-mentioned patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.
The present invention relates to an ink supply device for supplying ink to a recording head from which the ink is to be discharged in an inkjet printer.
Conventionally, as an ink supply device for supplying ink to a recording head for discharging ink in an inkjet printer, one provided with a replaceable ink container that is a container for storing ink and that is replaceable, and a needle to be inserted into the replaceable ink container to take out the ink from the replaceable ink container is known (see Patent Document 1). This replaceable ink container is provided with an opening plug formed of an elastic member such as rubber for plugging an insertion opening to which the needle is to be inserted. With this opening plug being penetrated by the needle, the ink inside the replaceable ink container is taken out to the outside of the replaceable ink container through a passage provided in the needle.
In the meantime, in an inkjet printer with relatively large consumption amount of ink, that is, in a wide-format inkjet printer with a relatively large printable image size, or in an inkjet printer with relatively fast printing speed, capacities of replaceable ink containers are being increased.
Patent Document 1: JP 2010-23237 A.
However, in a conventional ink supply device that is provided with a replaceable ink container including an opening plug made of an elastic member and a needle to be inserted into the opening plug, if the needle for taking out the ink inside the replaceable ink container to the outside of the replaceable ink container is thin, a passage provided in the needle becomes narrow accordingly, so that there is a problem that it becomes difficult to supply the ink at a large flow rate from the replaceable ink container. On the other hand, in the conventional ink supply device provided with the replaceable ink container including the opening plug made of the elastic member and the needle to be inserted into the opening plug, if the needle is to be made thick for supplying the ink at a large flow rate from the replaceable ink container, when the needle is pulled out from the replaceable ink container due to reasons such as changing the ink color and the like in a state where ink still remains in the replaceable ink container, there is a problem that the ink inside the replaceable ink container may possibly leak out to the outside of the replaceable ink container through a hole opened in the opening plug by the needle.
Since there is a problem as above, the conventional ink supply device provided with the replaceable ink container including the opening plug made of the elastic member and the needle to be inserted into the opening plug is not suited for making the replaceable ink container have a large capacity.
Thus, the present invention aims to provide an ink supply device that can reduce the possibility of the ink flowing out from the replaceable ink container when the male connector is pulled out from the replaceable ink container compared to in the conventional configuration.
An ink supply device of the present invention is an ink supply device for supplying an ink to a recording head for discharging the ink in an inkjet printer, and it includes: a replaceable ink container being a container for storing the ink and being replaceable; and a male connector to be inserted into the replaceable ink container to take out the ink from the replaceable ink container, wherein the replaceable ink container has an insertion opening where the male connector is to be inserted formed therein, the replaceable ink container includes an opening plug that plugs the insertion opening, and the opening plug includes a reed valve that is pressed by the male connector and opened when the male connector is inserted into the insertion opening, and that is closed by making contact with the male connector when the male connector is pulled out from the insertion opening.
According to this configuration, when the male connector is pulled out from the replaceable ink container, in the ink supply device of the present invention, the possibility that the ink will flow out from the replaceable ink container can be reduced compared to in the conventional configuration, since the reed valve closes automatically.
Further, in the ink supply device of the present invention, the reed valve may be a valve that is closed by receiving pressure of the ink when the male connector is pulled out from the insertion opening.
According to this configuration, the ink supply device of the present invention can improve certainty that the reed valve will close, since the closing force is applied to the reed valve by receiving the pressure of the ink when the male connector is pulled out from the replaceable ink container.
Further, in the ink supply device of the present invention, the reed valve may be a valve to which closing force is applied by rigidity of its valve body when the male connector is pulled out from the insertion opening.
According to this configuration, the ink supply device of the present invention can improve the certainty that the reed valve will close, since the closing force is applied to the reed valve by the rigidity of its valve body when the male connector is pulled out from the replaceable ink container.
Further, in the ink supply device of the present invention, the opening plug may further include a valve biasing unit that biases the reed valve in a direction along which the reed valve closes.
According to this configuration, the ink supply device of the present invention can improve the certainty that the reed valve will close, since the closing force is applied to the reed valve by the biasing force from the valve biasing unit when the male connector is pulled out from the replaceable ink container.
Further, in the ink supply device of the present invention, the replaceable ink container may include an ink bag of which capacity is capable of being changed according to an amount of the stored ink, and a bag biasing unit that biases the ink bag in a direction along which the capacity of the ink bag is decreased.
According to this configuration, since the ink supply device of the present invention can maintain the pressure of the ink inside the ink bag at positive pressure, the reed valve having received the pressure of the ink can be closed automatically when the male connector is pulled out from the replaceable ink container, even if a position of the opening plug is provided at a position other than below the ink bag. Further, with the ink supply device of the present invention, since the pressure of the ink inside the ink bag can be maintained at positive pressure, the ink inside the replaceable ink container can be taken out almost to the last drip via the male connector, even if the position of the opening plug is provided at a position other than below the ink bag.
Further, the ink supply device of the present invention may further include a pump that controls pressure of the ink so that the pressure of the ink becomes higher on an inside than on an outside of the replaceable ink container with respect to the insertion opening.
According to this configuration, since the ink supply device of the present invention can maintain the pressure of the ink higher on the inside than on the outside of the replaceable ink container with respect to the insertion opening, the ink inside the replaceable ink container can be taken out almost to the last drip via the male connector, even if the position of the opening plug is provided at a position other than below the ink bag.
Further, in the ink supply device of the present invention, a shape of the male connector in its cross section vertically intersecting a direction of insertion into the insertion opening may be an elongated shape.
According to this configuration, in the ink supply device of the present invention, force applied to both end portions of the reed valve in the direction vertically intersecting the direction of insertion of the male connector into the insertion opening upon the insertion of the male connector into the insertion opening is small, as compared to a configuration in which a shape of the male connector in its cross section vertically intersecting a direction of insertion of the male connector into an insertion opening is not in the elongated shape, so that the force required for inserting the male connector into the insertion opening can be reduced, and the life of the reed valve can be extended.
Further, in the ink supply device of the present invention, the male connector and the reed valve may be fitted with each other to a degree by which the ink does not leak out from between the male connector and the reed valve when the male connector has been inserted into the insertion opening.
According to this configuration, the ink supply device of the present invention can do away with members for preventing the ink from leaking out from between the male connector and the reed valve, such as an O-ring.
Further, in the ink supply device of the present invention, the opening plug may include an O-ring for preventing the ink from passing through, and the O-ring may be arranged at a position that prevents the ink from passing through between the male connector and the O-ring when the male connector that has been inserted into the insertion opening is keeping the reed valve opened.
According to this configuration, since the ink supply device of the present invention can prevent the ink from leaking out from between the male connector and the opening plug by the O-ring, even if the reed valve cannot deform in accordance with the shape of the male connector at a high accuracy which is at the degree by which no ink leaks out from between the male connector and the reed valve, a degree of freedom in design of the reed valve can be improved as compared to a configuration in which the reed valve deforms in accordance with the shape of the male connector at the high accuracy which is at the degree by which no ink leaks out from between the male connector and the reed valve.
The ink supply device of the present invention can reduce the possibility that the ink will flow out from the replaceable ink container when the male connector is pulled out from the replaceable ink container compared to in the conventional configuration.
Hereinbelow, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(First Embodiment)
Firstly, a configuration of an inkjet printer according to the present embodiment will be described.
As shown in
The main body 11 includes a guide rail 11a extending in the main scanning direction shown by the arrow 10a, and a carriage 11b supported on the guide rail 11a so as to be movable in the main scanning direction shown by the arrow 10a. The carriage 11b is mounted with recording heads 11c.
The transfer device 12 is a device that transfers the recording medium 90 in a sub scanning direction shown by an arrow 10b relative to the recording heads 11c of the main body 11.
As shown in
The ink supply device 20 includes replaceable ink containers 30 that are containers storing the deaerated ink 10c, and that are replaceable, bases 40 to and from which the replaceable ink containers 30 are attached and detached, carriage-mounting type ink supply devices 50 that are mounted on the carriage 11b, and that are for supplying the ink 10c to the recording heads 11c, and a tube 60 that forms a passage of the ink 10c between the bases 40 and the carriage-mounting type ink supply devices 50.
The replaceable ink containers 30, the bases 40, the carriage-mounting type ink supply devices 50, and the recording heads 11c have positions in a vertical direction that are descending in this order.
The replaceable ink containers 30 are large capacity containers, of which capacity is for example 2 liters.
The carriage-mounting type ink supply devices 50 are arranged between the recording heads 11c and the replaceable ink containers 30 on the passage of the ink 10c. Each carriage-mounting type ink supply device 50 preferably includes a mechanism to maintain pressure of the ink 10c to be supplied to the recording head 11c in a predetermined range of negative pressure, and a mechanism as a pressure damper that moderates fluctuation of the pressure of the ink 10c caused by the movement of the recording head 11c.
Here, the replaceable ink containers 30 and the bases 40 are fixed relative to the main body 11, and do not move in the main scanning direction shown by the arrow 10a.
On the other hand, the recording heads 11c and the carriage-mounting type ink supply devices 50 are mounted on the carriage 11b, and are configured to move in the main scanning direction shown by the arrow 10a together with the carriage 11b.
The tube 60 has flexibility. Thus, even if the recording heads 11c and the carriage-mounting type ink supply devices 50 move in the direction shown by the arrow 10a relative to the replaceable ink containers 30 and the bases 40, a portion within the tube 60 on the passage of the ink 10c closer to the carriage-mounting type ink supply devices 50 deforms, and the ink 10c is supplied to the carriage-mounting type ink supply devices 50 from the bases 40 via the tube 60.
As shown in
Further, each replaceable ink container 30 includes an opening plug 31 for plugging the insertion opening 30a, an ink bag 34 of which capacity is changeable according to an amount of the stored ink 10c, and a case 35 for housing the ink bag 34. The opening plug 31 and the ink bag 34 are integrated by methods such as integrated forming, or thereto-compression bonding.
The opening plug 31 includes a reed valve 32 that is pressed by the male connector 41 and opened when the male connector 41 is inserted into the insertion opening 30a, and that closes by making contact with the male connector 41 when the male connector 41 is pulled out from the insertion opening 30a. Further, the opening plug 31 includes an 0-ring 33 for preventing the ink 10c from passing through between the reed valve 32 and the male connector 41 when the reed valve 32 is opened.
The reed valve 32 includes a pair of valve bodies 32a, 32b for opening and closing.
Each of the pair of valve bodies 32a, 32b is a film-shaped flexible member. The reed valve 32 is a valve to which closing force is applied by rigidity of the pair of valve bodies 32a, 32b when the male connector 41 is pulled out from the insertion opening 30a. The valve bodies 32a, 32b have their entireties of both end portions in a direction vertically intersecting the inserting direction of the male connector 41 into the insertion opening 30a, or at least their base-side portions within the both end portions adhered to each other.
The reed valve 32 may be formed of plastic such as polyethylene, polyester, or polyimide. Further, the reed valve 32 may be formed by metal such as phosphor bronze, stainless steel, brass, steel, tungsten, or tantalum. Further, the reed valve 32 may be formed by metal such as iron or steel that is metal plated, such as by chromium plating. Further, the reed valve 32 may be formed by plywood laminate in which plastic is coated or laminated on a metal film. As the material of the reed valve 32, those that satisfy corrosion resistivity to the ink 10c to be used, and required rigidity can be employed.
The ink bag 34 is formed of plastic film such as polyester, polyethylene, or nylon. The plastic film may be a single layer film formed of a single material, or may be a laminate film formed of plural materials, or may be a composite film in which aluminum foil or aluminum vapor-deposited film is laminated on an inner side of the ink bag 34 relative to the plastic therein.
As shown in
The male connector 41 has a passage 41a for the ink 10c formed therein. Further, the male connector 41 has an ink opening 41b for introducing the ink 10c to the passage 41a formed at a distal end portion.
The communicating valve 42 includes a valve body 42a, a diaphragm 42b supporting the valve body 42a, and a spring 42c biasing the valve body 42a in a direction along which the communicating valve 42 closes. The communicating valve 42 is a valve that opens by a protruding portion 30b of the replaceable ink container 30 pressing the valve body 42a when the replaceable ink container 30 is attached to the base 40.
Each base 40 can prevent air from being drawn into the passage of the ink 10c from the ink opening 41b of the male connector 41 when the replaceable ink container 30 is detached by the workings of the communicating valve 42 described above. Accordingly, the communicating valves 42 can prevent an occurrence of a defect by which discharge from the recording heads 11c becomes unstable by the air drawn into the passage of the ink 10c.
As shown in
The ink storage unit 51 is communicated with a replaceable ink container 30 (see
The variable capacity ink storage unit 52 is communicated with a recording head 11c (see
The valve 53 includes a valve body 53a, a spring 53b that biases the valve body 53a in a direction along which the valve 53 closes, and an O-ring 53c for preventing the ink 10c from passing through the valve 53 when the valve 53 is closed. The valve 53 introduces the ink 10c from the ink storage unit 51 into the variable capacity ink storage unit 52 by the valve body 53a being pressed by the pressure receiving plate 52b.
The pressure receiving plate 52b is pressed in a direction along which the capacity of the variable capacity ink storage unit 52 increases, by the force received from the pressure of the ink 10c in the variable capacity ink storage unit 52 and the force of gravity that the pressure receiving plate 52b itself receives. Accordingly, when the valve 53 is closed, the pressure of the ink 10c in the variable capacity ink storage unit 52 is negative pressure.
Here, if the amount of the ink 10c in the variable capacity ink storage unit 52 decreases due to the ink 10c being discharged by the recording head 11c, the pressure receiving plate 52b elevates accompanying the decrease in the capacity of the variable capacity ink storage unit 52. When elevated, the pressure receiving plate 52b makes contact with the valve body 53a and opens the valve 53 by pushing up the valve body 53a. When the valve 53 is opened, the ink 10c is introduced into the variable capacity ink storage unit 52 from the ink storage unit 51 through the valve 53. When the ink 10c is introduced into the variable capacity ink storage unit 52, the capacity of the variable capacity ink storage unit 52 increases, along which the pressure receiving plate 52b descends, and the valve 53 is closed again.
The carriage-mounting type ink supply device 50 maintains the pressure of the ink 10c supplied to the recording head 11c as negative pressure within the predetermined range by the workings of the variable capacity ink storage unit 52 and the valve 53 as described above.
Next, functions of the opening plugs 31 of the replaceable ink containers 30 will be described.
In a case where its opening plugs 31 are in a state shown in
When the replaceable ink container 30 is attached to the base 40, the male connector 41 of the base 40 is inserted into the insertion opening 30a. Then, the male connector 41 that has been inserted into the insertion opening 30a makes contact with the pair of valve bodies 32a, 32b of the reed valve 32, and pushes the valve body 32a and the valve body 32b apart. Here, if the reed valve 32 has been closed as shown in
Here, in the case where the replaceable ink container 30 is attached to the base 40, as shown in
In a case where the opening plug 31 is in a state shown in
As described above, the ink supply device 20 can reduce the possibility that the ink 10c may leak from the replaceable ink containers 30 compared to in the conventional configuration, since the reed valves 32 receiving the pressure of the ink 10c automatically close when the male connectors 41 of the bases 40 are pulled out from the replaceable ink containers 30.
It should be noted that, as a case where the male connectors 41 are pulled out from the replaceable ink containers 30 in a state where the ink 10c still remains in the replaceable ink containers 30, for example, there may be a case where the type of the ink 10c to be used by the inkjet printer 10 needs to be changed, or a case where replaceable ink containers 30 storing cleaning liquid are to be attached to the bases 40 instead of the replaceable ink containers 30 storing the ink 10c, in order to clean the passage of the ink 10c from the bases 40 to nozzles that are not shown in the recording heads 11c.
The reed valves 32 of the replaceable ink containers 30 are valves that close by receiving the pressure of the ink 10c when the male connectors 41 are pulled out from the insertion openings 30a. Accordingly, the ink supply device 20 can improve the certainty that the reed valves 32 will close by the reed valves 32 being applied with the closing force by receiving the pressure of the ink 10c when the male connectors 41 are pulled out from the replaceable ink containers 30.
The reed valves 32 of the replaceable ink containers 30 are valves to which the closing force is applied by the rigidity of the pairs of valve bodies 32a, 32b when the male connectors 41 are pulled out from the insertion openings 30a. Accordingly, the ink supply device 20 can improve the certainty that the reed valves 32 will close by the reed valves 32 being applied with the closing force by the rigidity of the pairs of valve bodies 32a, 32b when the male connectors 41 are pulled out from the replaceable ink containers 30.
It should be noted that the reed valves 32 may not be valves to which the closing force is applied by the rigidity of the pairs of valve bodies 32a, 32b when the male connectors 41 are pulled out from the insertion openings 30a.
The reed valve 32 can close by utilizing the pressure of the ink 10c even in the case where the remaining amount of the ink 10c in the ink bag 34 becomes scarce, due to being arranged at a position where it can receive positive pressure from the ink 10c even in the case where the remaining amount of the ink 10c in the ink bag 34 becomes scarce, that is, at a lower portion of the ink bag 34. However, if the rigidity of the reed valve 32 itself is high to a degree by which the reed valve 32 can keep it closed against the negative pressure of the ink 10c, the opening plug 31 can be arranged at any arbitrary position in the ink bag 34. For example, the opening plug 31 may be arranged at an upper portion of the ink bag 34 as shown in
A shape of the reed valve 32 may be a shape other than the shape shown in the embodiment. As the reed valve 32, any arbitrary valve can be employed so long as it is a valve that is opened and closed by insertion and pullout of the male connector 41. For example, the shape of the reed valve 32 may be square as shown in
Further, in the present embodiment, the reed valve 32 is configured of the film-formed pair of valve bodies 32a, 32b having elasticity, however, it may be configured of a film-formed valve body 32a having elasticity and a member 32c that is a rigid member and hardly exhibits any deformation, as shown in
Further, the opening plug 31 includes one reed valve 32 in the embodiment, however, as shown in
Further, a shape of the male connector 41 of the base 40 may be a shape other than the shape shown in the embodiment.
For example, as shown in
Further, the male connector 41 of the base 40 and the reed valve 32 of the replaceable ink container 30 may be configured to be fitted with each other to a degree by which the ink 10c does not leak out from between the male connector 41 and the reed valve 32 when the male connector 41 has been inserted into the insertion opening 30a. According to this configuration, the ink supply device 20 can do away with members for preventing the ink 10c from leaking out from between the male connector 41 and the reed valve 32, such as the O-ring 33.
Further, the O-ring 33 of the replaceable ink container 30 may be arranged at a position that prevents the ink 10c from passing through between the male connector 41 and the O-ring 33 itself when the male connector 41 inserted in the insertion opening 30a is opening the reed valve 32. According to this configuration, the ink supply device 20 can prevent the ink 10c from leaking out from between the male connector 41 and the opening plug 31 by the O-ring 33 even if the reed valve 32 cannot deform along with the shape of the male connector 41 at a high accuracy by a degree by which the ink 10c does not leak out from between the male connector 41 and the reed valve 32, so that a degree of freedom in design of the reed valve 32 can be improved as compared to a configuration in which the reed valve 32 deforms in accordance with the shape of the male connector 41 at the high accuracy which is at the degree by which no ink 10c leaks out from between the male connector 41 and the reed valve 32.
(Second Embodiment)
Firstly, a configuration of an inkjet printer according to the present embodiment will be described.
It should be noted that, within the configuration of the inkjet printer according to the present embodiment, components that are similar to the components of the inkjet printer 10 (see
The configuration of the inkjet printer according to the present embodiment is similar to a configuration in which the inkjet printer 10 includes a replaceable ink container 130 shown in
As shown in
A configuration of the opening plug 131 is similar to a configuration in which the opening plug 31 includes a clip 132 for clipping the reed valve 32.
The clip 132 is fixed to the reed valve 32, or a portion of the opening plug 131 other than the reed valve 32 by a member that is not shown. The clip 132 includes a pair of band-shaped pressing springs 132a. The clip 132 is a valve biasing unit that biases the reed valve 32 in the direction along which the reed valve 32 is closed.
Next, functions of the opening plug 131 of the replaceable ink container 130 will be described.
When the opening plug 131 is in a state shown in
When the replaceable ink container 130 is attached to the base 40, the male connector 41 of the base 40 is inserted into the insertion opening 30a. Then, the male connector 41 that has been inserted into the insertion opening 30a makes contact with the pair of valve bodies 32a, 32b of the reed valve 32, and pushes the valve body 32a and the valve body 32b apart. Here, if the reed valve 32 has been closed as shown in
In a case where the opening plug 131 is in a state shown in
As described above, the ink supply device according to the present embodiment can reduce the possibility that the ink 10c may leak from the replaceable ink containers 130 compared to in the conventional configuration, since the reed valves 32 receiving the pressure of the ink 10c automatically close when the male connectors 41 of the bases 40 are pulled out from the replaceable ink containers 130.
The reed valves 32 of the replaceable ink containers 130 are valves that close by receiving the pressure of the ink 10c when the male connectors 41 are pulled out from the insertion openings 30a. Accordingly, the ink supply device according to the present embodiment can improve the certainty that the reed valves 32 will close by the reed valves 32 being applied with the closing force by receiving the pressure of the ink 10c when the male connectors 41 are pulled out from the replaceable ink containers 130.
The opening plugs 131 of the replaceable ink containers 130 include the clips 132 that biases the reed valves 32 in the direction along which the reed valves 32 are closed. Accordingly, the ink supply device according to the present embodiment can improve the certainty that the reed valves 32 will close due to the reed valves 32 being applied with the closing force by the biasing force by the clips 132 when the male connectors 41 are pulled out from the replaceable ink containers 130.
If the biasing force of the clip 132 is large enough to a degree by which the reed valve 32 can be keep closed against the negative pressure of the ink 10c, the opening plug 131 can be arranged at any arbitrary position in the ink bag 34. For example, the opening plug 131 may be arranged at an upper portion of the ink bag 34, or may be arranged at a center in the vertical direction in the ink bag 34.
A shape of the clip may be a shape other than the shape shown in the embodiment. For example, the clip may be clips 133 shown in
The clips 133 shown in
(Third Embodiment)
Firstly, a configuration of an inkjet printer according to the present embodiment will be described.
It should be noted that, among components of the inkjet printer according to the present embodiment, those similar to the components of the inkjet printer 10 according to the first embodiment (see
The configuration of the inkjet printer according to the present embodiment is similar to a configuration in which the inkjet printer 10 includes replaceable ink containers 230 shown in
As shown in
Next, functions of an opening plug 31 of the replaceable ink container 230 will be described.
When a reed valve 32 of the replaceable ink container 230 is closed, it is tightly closed by a pair of valve bodies 32a, 32b receiving force in a direction along which they make tight contact with each other by pressure of the ink 10c that is pressurized by the pressing plate 231 and the pressing spring 232. Accordingly, if the reed valve 32 is closed, the replaceable ink container 230 can prevent the stored ink 10c from leaking out to the outside through the insertion opening 30a by the reed valve 32.
When the replaceable ink container 230 is attached to the base 40 (see
In a case where the reed valve 32 is open, when the replaceable ink container 230 is detached from the base 40, the male connector 41 of the base 40 is pulled down relative to the opening plug 31. Further, when the male connector 41 is pulled down relative to the opening plug 31, the reed valve 32 closes by the male connector 41 being pulled out from between the valve body 32a and the valve body 32b. That is, the reed valve 32 is automatically closed tightly by the pair of valve bodies 32a, 32b receiving force in the direction along which they make tight contact with each other by the pressure of the ink 10c that is pressurized by the pressing plate 231 and the pressing spring 232. When the male connector 41 is further pulled down relative to the opening plug 31, it is pulled out from the insertion opening 30a.
As described above, the ink supply device according to the present embodiment can reduce the possibility that the ink 10c may leak from the replaceable ink containers 230 compared to in the conventional configuration, since the reed valves 32 receiving the pressure of the ink 10c automatically close when the male connectors 41 of the bases 40 are pulled out from the replaceable ink containers 230.
Each replaceable ink container 230 includes the pressing plate 231 and the pressing spring 232 that bias the ink bag 34 in the direction along which the capacity of the ink bag 34 is decreased. Accordingly, since the ink supply device according to the present embodiment can maintain the pressure of the ink 10c inside the ink bag 34 at positive pressure, the reed valve 32 having received the pressure of the ink 10c can be closed automatically when the male connector 41 is pulled out from the replaceable ink container 230, even if a position of the opening plug 31 is provided at a position other than below the ink bag 34. Further, with the ink supply device according to the present embodiment, since the pressure of the ink 10c inside the ink bag 34 can be maintained at positive pressure, the ink 10c inside the replaceable ink container 230 can be taken out almost to the last drip via the male connector 41, even if the position of the opening plug 31 is provided at a position other than below the ink bag 34.
(Fourth Embodiment)
Firstly, a configuration of an inkjet printer according to the present embodiment will be described.
It should be noted that, among components of the inkjet printer according to the present embodiment, components that are similar to the components of the inkjet printer 10 (see
The configuration of the inkjet printer according to the present embodiment is similar to a configuration in which the inkjet printer 10 includes the ink supply devices 320 shown in
As shown in
Next, functions of the opening plug 31 (see
When a reed valve 32 (see
When the replaceable ink container 30 is attached to the base 40 (see
In a case where the reed valve 32 is open, when the replaceable ink container 30 is detached from the base 40, the male connector 41 of the base 40 is pulled down relative to the opening plug 31. Further, when the male connector 41 is pulled down relative to the opening plug 31, the reed valve 32 closes by the male connector 41 being pulled out from between the valve body 32a and the valve body 32b. That is, the reed valve 32 is automatically closed tightly by receiving force in the direction along which the pair of valve bodies 32a, 32b makes tight contact with each other by the pressure of the ink 10c. When the male connector 41 is further pulled down relative to the opening plug 31, it is pulled out from the insertion opening 30a.
As described above, the ink supply device 320 can reduce the possibility that the ink 10c may leak from the replaceable ink containers 30 compared to in the conventional configuration, since the reed valves 32 receiving the pressure of the ink 10c automatically close when the male connectors 41 of the bases 40 are pulled out from the replaceable ink containers 30.
The ink supply device 320 includes the pump 321 that controls the pressure of the ink 10c so that the pressure of the ink 10c becomes higher on the inside than on the outside of the replaceable ink containers 30 with respect to the insertion openings 30a of the replaceable ink containers 30. Accordingly, since the ink supply device 320 can maintain the pressure of the ink 10c so that the pressure of the ink 10c is higher on the inside than on the outside of the replaceable ink containers 30 with respect to the insertion openings 30a, the ink 10c inside the replaceable ink containers 30 can be taken out almost to the last drip via the male connectors 41, even if the positions of the opening plugs 31 are provided at positions other than below the ink bags 34.
It should be noted that the ink supply device 320 controls the pressure of the ink 10c to be higher on the inside than on the outside of the replaceable ink containers 30 with respect to the insertion openings 30a of the replaceable ink containers 30, by sucking the ink 10c outside the replaceable ink containers 30 by the pump 321 to maintain the pressure of the ink 10c on the outside of the replaceable ink containers 30 to be of the negative pressure. However, the ink supply device 320 may control the pressure of the ink 10c to be higher on the inside than on the outside of the replaceable ink containers 30 with respect to the insertion openings 30a of the replaceable ink containers 30, by pressurizing the ink 10c inside the replaceable ink containers 30 by a pump to maintain the pressure of the ink 10c on the inside of the replaceable ink containers 30 to be of the positive pressure.
Further, the ink supply device 320 uses stretchable ink bags storing the ink 10c in the replaceable ink containers 30, however, the containers storing the ink 10c in the replaceable ink containers 30 may be containers that cannot stretch.
In the inkjet printers in the respective embodiments as described above, the replaceable ink containers and the bases are fixed relative to the main body and do not move in the main scanning direction, however, they may be mounted on the carriage and be movable together with the carriage in the main scanning direction.
The inkjet printers in the respective embodiments as described above are printers with a scheme in which, as shown in
Furthermore, as ink discharging schemes in the inkjet printers according to the respective embodiments as described above, arbitrary schemes may be employed. For example, they may be of a valve jet scheme that depicts images by controlling ink discharges by opening and closing of a valve.
It should be noted that the opening plugs of the present invention may be used for purposes other than taking out the ink for the inkjet printers. That is, the opening plugs of the present invention can be adapted for use in arbitrary purposes in which takeout of liquid is performed through the opening plugs.
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Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Nov 15 2013 | MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD. | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
Apr 10 2015 | OHNISHI, MASARU | MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO , LTD | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 035685 | /0306 |
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